


Reports and Distractions

by firewolfsg



Series: The Ysalamiri Connection [2]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Thrawn - Timothy Zahn
Genre: Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-23
Updated: 2017-07-23
Packaged: 2018-12-05 22:03:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11587083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/firewolfsg/pseuds/firewolfsg
Summary: Vader knew of Mitth'raw'nuruodo’s feelings of distaste for slavery, however, Rukh has an interesting tale for how the Noghri managed to get around it to persuade the Grand Admiral to accept their services.





	Reports and Distractions

The news from Honoghr had been an unexpected surprise. Vader was well aware of Mitth'raw'nuruodo’s feelings of distaste for slavery. It was a view that he had once shared when he was Anakin Skywalker over a decade ago when they had first met. And the Chiss was not shy about expressing this aversion; most significantly with his outright rejection of the offer of service from the Noghri.

Given how the Emperor and Vader used the Death Commanders from Honoghr, Tarkin had expressed surprise with Vader’s patience over this open disagreement. However, Vader knew more about Mitth'raw'nuruodo’s history than was in the Empire’s records.

It was a part of Chiss culture that Anakin had learned of when they met, but still not quite had a chance to clear up; this concept of being ‘common born.’ What memories he could stir from that meeting so long ago gave him the impression that Thrawn and his elder brother had been born in slavery and that their mother had immediately abandoned them upon their rescue because she was shamed of having given birth to them naturally during her captivity.

Thrawn hadn’t wanted to say much more about his mother, but he was happy enough to bitch to Anakin about the overprotective older brother in the same vein as Anakin had also bitched to him about his Master Obi-wan’s restrictions. From what Anakin remembered of Thrawn's stories, Mitth'ras'safis had apparently always been overprotective of his younger brother and had become especially so after their mother abandoned them. As much as Thrawn admitted to having needed that protection when he was a young slave, Thrass had carried on far longer than Thrawn could stand to have him. It was for that reason that Thrawn escaped into the Navy Academy as soon as he was old enough, rather than follow his brother’s vocation as a statesman.

Anakin had also been born a slave before his rescue by Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. However, after he had become Vader, he did not find himself averse to this practice of the Empire. It was clearly not a view shared by Thrawn.

Vader understood Thrawn’s logic about the ticking time bomb that was the Noghri Death Commandos. The Empire had been poisoning their planet for over a decade now, it was a very real possibility in the future that the Noghri would learn of this treachery and turn against their masters. The Chiss’ second reason though, was a bit impertinent. However, it honestly amused Vader that Thrawn would claim that he’d rather not have the Death Commandos in his service because he preferred to know of the Emperor’s and his disfavour in person and not in proxy via their instruments.

It was a reasonable and logical assessment. Vader knew that Thrawn had never accepted ‘obligation’ as a motivation of an individual. So, Vader had placed the responsibility upon the Noghri to convince the Grand Admiral to accept their service.

The first six months of whining from the Noghri had been amusing as Thrawn stayed firm in his resolve not to accept the Death Commandos upon his Star Destroyer. After that though, it had becoming tiring. However, Vader and Palpatine were rather determined that their ‘pet alien Grand Admiral’ was adequately protected.

The Empire may have been largely xenophobic, however, Thrawn had gained their respect with his abilities long ago. Their respect was clearly marked by his meteoric rise in rank to Grand Admiral in a little over a decade. Still, despite his intelligence, the alien was rather woefully naïve and oblivious to the jealousy of his peers and a complete novice in the realm of politics.

In truth, it rather amused Palpatine, Tarkin, Yularen and Vader how Thrawn would occasionally waltz in on a military operation to casually take over and utterly destroy the pirates or the rebellion forces, leaving his compatriots to gasp and gape at his brilliance in his wake. And the Chiss was truly entirely without ego, unconcerned about recognition or awards.

Vader had long assigned a few companies of Death Troupers to Thrawn’s 7th Fleet and ensured he had them tasked with his personal protection as well. However, this hadn’t been as effective as High command desired.

Vader never quite forgave the men that one time the Chiss had been taken from a Coruscant gathering by an Alien Connoisseur who had apparently been salivating after the only Chiss in the entire known universe. If Vader hadn’t caught a stray thought from one of the conspirators who plotted Thrawn’s kidnapping, they might have lost the Grand Admiral.

Two Grand Admirals, three fleet admirals and two governor positions opened up at the end of the whole affair, as Vader had left a trail of broken bodies and minds in the wake of his investigation. Knowing the reputation of the Alien Connoisseur, Vader hadn’t dared waste any time in tracking down the Grand Admiral.

Having been unconscious for much of his captivity, Thrawn had been carefully kept ignorant to the danger he had been in by the concerned high command who did not want him affected by trauma. They did not think it was of any value for the Chiss to know how close he had come to being vivisected and preserved as an object of art in this sick man's collection.

Unfortunately, the Alien Connoisseur was still at large. And so, the concern for Thrawn’s personal protection was considerably heightened. Hence the offer of the Death Commandos which to be honest, Vader had also offered to the Chiss as a reward for his covert assistance in his operations against the Black Sun.

However, Thrawn had not agreed. And Vader could not help but flash back to that time over a decade ago when the Chiss had bitched to him about the overprotective older brother hovering and driving him mad with distraction.

This news from Rukh though, that the situation had changed and Thrawn had finally accepted his service… as welcoming as the news was, it was completely unexpected and seemed totally out of character of the Chiss.

Upon his query, the Noghri had outright grinned at Vader. “We offered him a pet, Lord Vader.”

“A pet?”

“We had noted the statues in the Grand Admiral’s study and in our travels, we found a species of furry lizards which also had four eyes. Apart from that, unfortunately, they looked nothing like the statues, but the kittens are engaging.”

“A pet?” Vader couldn’t help repeating in astonishment.

“The Grand Admiral accepted the gift in good faith that we carry no ill intent towards him.”

Vader thought there was much more to the story than that and wondered if it was also loneliness which had encouraged the Chiss to accept a pet; if the departure of his aide who had otherwise been with him through the years of his rise to Grand Admiral had affected the Chiss more keenly than he had allowed others to know.

“You gave Grand Admiral Thrawn a pet and he finally acquiesce to your offer of service?” Vader just had to ask directly to make sure.

A picture took the place of the hologram of the Noghri. One which showed the Grand Admiral with a little brown furry lizard clinging to a shoulder as it licked his cheek, while the Chiss was holding a second in his hand and stroking its head as it leaned into his touch with eyes half closed in pleasure. Additionally, with the Chiss’ lips quirked minutely in a tiny smile, the picture was rather adorable.

“The Grand Admiral’s crew has been helpful as well in assisting us to plant their sustenance trees around the Chimera. With our offer of this gift, they too have readily accepted our presence to protect their leader.” Rukh’s hologram returned to the screen.

“Well done. We trust that you will keep the Grand Admiral safe.”

“Upon our honour, Lord Vader.”

Vader ended the transmission and coughed in amusement to himself. A pet?

He was quite sure it was really loneliness that made Thrawn give in. He had wondered about the Chiss for the longest time since he reportedly made no sexual connection to anyone he had encountered. Palpatine had once introduce Zeltrons of both sexes to Thrawn previously, and the 7th Fleet had even spent at least one leave cycle stationed above Zeltros.

The Chiss reportedly showed little interest beyond his usual attentiveness to the art work that the race produced and revered. The reports from the various death troopers tasked as his personal escort during his tour of the various art museums, before he took pity on them and released them to their leisure while he promised to ensconce himself on the Chimera and not leave, were still amusing reads to Vader.

“A pair of pets…” Vader suspected the Noghri must have given Thrawn a breeding pair, and he wondered if the Chiss would become as crazy over his pets as some individuals could be when the little lizards eventually laid eggs. Only time would tell.

* * *

Rukh almost collapsed in his chair in relief with the end of the transmission.

“Well done, Rukh.”

The Noghri turned towards Grand Admiral Thrawn as he stepped out of the darkness of the conference room with his two snoozing Ysalamiri cradled in the crook of one arm. “It is as you said, Grand Admiral. I do not believe the Dark Lord suspects anything.”

“He has no reason to.” Thrawn agreed with him. “The distraction of the picture disarmed any suspicions he may have had as to why I might change my mind to overlook the subject on slavery and accept your service.

“It is now his understanding that you have forged with me a much different relationship, and evidently does not think it in opposition or challenge to the allegiance that the Empire had established with your race.”

“Then we are safe?”

“For now. We have still to work out a way to deceive the droids that the Empire has left behind on your world to seed their poisons and keep observation on your settlements.” Thrawn warned him. “Come, we still have much to plan and do.”

A soft squeaking from the crook of his arm had Thrawn looking down at two sets of beady little eyes giving him pleading looks. Off to a side, another Noghri appeared with ready bottles for the Grand Admiral to accept and offer his pets.

“They need feeding often at this age, but they still won’t let me leave them on their sustenance trees.”

“We are yet learning as well with the Ysalamiri. It is unusual for them to be away from their trees.” Rukh offered a shrug. “But perhaps these two have imprinted upon you and thus wish not to leave your presence?”

Thrawn carefully touched one of their little claws. “Then I shall need to teach them how to ride on my shoulders soon enough. I do occasionally need the use of both arms for my work.”

End


End file.
